1980 KE 125 and it will not start?

Answer 1

The Kawasaki KE 100 and 125 have always had problems with moisture, electrical conductivity, and a temperamental carburetor. Clean your carburetor with Choke and Carb cleaner. Take it apart, including its main jet and pilot jets, the needle, cylinder, and spring, as well as the choke assembly. Spray the parts well and wipe clean with a dry rag. Reassemble the carb and put it back in. Take the air-cleaner element out of its box and blow it clean with compressed air, carefully. You may replace this foam element with air-conditioner filter foam.

Remove the spark plug, clean it lightly with a metal brush and carb cleaner, insert it into the ignition cap, dangling the plug so its metal side touches the cooling fins on the engine. Now turn the ignition on, and give the kick-starter a sharp kick, watching the plug for sparks. If it sparks regularly, it's good. If there is no spark at all, change the plug and check the ignition coil. Usually the coil's anchor bolts come a bit loose: tighten them... Unscrew the rubber-coated ignition cable, check if there's still wire leading to the ignition coil and the spark-plug cap at the other end. If you don't see copper, try cutting 1/8th of an inch of the black rubber insulation to uncover new copper wire. Screw the cable back onto the coil. This should bring back the spark. If not, replace the ignition coil.

Start the motorcycle with the choke on, gas at 1/4 turn or less. Cut a 6 x 6 inch piece of rubber from an old inner tube and put a 1/2 inch hole in the middle of it. Poke your spark-plug cap through this water-proof sleeve and leave it, covering the engine to keep water out. After a rain ride, when my KE dies, I remove the plug, put a couple of drops of gasoline onto the plug's contacts, screw it back in, and kick the engine to life.